On the Left

Edited by Pat Moloney and Kerry Taylor

Writings on the left in New Zealand have tended to follow two paths: to minimise the influence of socialism or to push a particular line of thought. This book takes the middle ground and explores the distinctive character of New Zealand socialism. The editors have used a non-sectarian approach that includes a wide range of socialist theory.

On the Left is the first comprehensive study of socialist thought and practice from the late nineteenth through the twentieth centuy. The essays examine the ideas, political organisations and social actions adopted by the left – from early syndicalism to feminist and unemployed movements – and their impact on society. The result is a book that brings the left back in to New Zealand’s historical consciousness – and opens up a whole new field of historical enquiry.

Common themes running through the book are: how the left has been seen, its history, gender and ethnicity issues, the changing nature and diversity of the left, and the distinctive character of the New Zealand left.

The editors

Pat Moloney is a Senior Lecturer in Political Theory at Victoria University, Wellington.

Kerry Taylor is a Senior Lecturer in New Zealand History and Politics at Massey University, Palmerston North.

Contributors

Robert E. Weir, Fran Shor, Len Richardson, Graeme Dunstall, Toby Boraman, Cybele Locke, Lyman Tower Sargent